Asian Pork Lettuce Wraps

This post is sponsored by the Ohio Pork Council. All opinions are my own.

No more take our for you, these lettuce wraps can be from at home. Made with ground pork and plenty of Asian flavors.

I first made this recipe back in my early years of graduate school with my roommate at the time Brandi, pre-blog, circa 2008 PB. I remember how fancy we felt buying all these exotic ingredients and we worried we’d never use again. That was until we tasted the end result and knew we’d make it as many times as the ingredients leftover allowed.

Ten years later I found myself craving lettuce wraps and I remembered this recipe. Thankfully I still had the original printed out copy because there’s no telling how else I would have ever found the exact one again. This time around I actually had most of the ingredients already on hand and decided to change or add a few of my own ideas.

Funny how something seemed so daunting 10 years ago but today I consider this an easy weeknight meal. Sure it has a bunch of ingredients but not many steps. But 10 years ago I thought any recipe beyond pasta and jarred sauce or a frozen veggie and chicken stir fry was complicated. Now I make meals like that when I have little motivation to cook anything. Oh how perspectives change!

Three years ago: Lemon-Lime Raspberry Mojitos

Four years ago: Strawberry Shortcake Cobbler

Five years ago: Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

Seven years ago: Pineapple Pancakes with Honey Greek Yogurt Topping

ASIAN PORK LETTUCE WRAPS

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb. ground pork

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 large head of broccoli, florets chopped

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp minced pickled ginger

1 dash chili pepper sauce, to taste (optional)

1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

16 bibb or butter lettuce leaves, rinsed and patted dry

Sweet chili sauce, for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Add the pork and cook until browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Drain pork on a paper towel lines plate and and discard all but 1 teaspoon oil.
2. Place the same skillet back on the stove top and add the onion and broccoli. Cook until onion starts to turn translucent and broccoli is slightly tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and chile pepper sauce into the onion-broccoli mixture and cook for 1 minute. Add water chestnuts, green onions, sesame oil, and cooked pork until warmed through.
4. Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter and pile meat mixture in the center. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from AllRecipes.com.